Kolkata Knight Riders and Punjab Kings will face off in a mid-table clash, both teams possessing six points each; therefore, the winner of this encounter could enter into the top four for 2016.
KKR currently leads in terms of wins over PBKS with 21 to 13 wins compared to them, though PBKS may yet make amends and even out the scoreline. Check the punjab kings vs kolkata knight riders timeline for all key moments and historical matchups.
| Date | Match No. | Venue | Result | Margin | Key Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 April 2025 | 44 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | No Result | – | Rain-affected; PBKS 201/4 in 20 overs |
| 15 April 2025 | 31 | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Stadium, Mullanpur | PBKS won by 16 runs | PBKS 111 (15.3) vs KKR 95 (15.1) | Yuzvendra Chahal 4/28, Marco Jansen 3/17 |
| 26 April 2024 | 42 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | PBKS won by 8 wickets | PBKS 262/2 (18.4) vs KKR 261/6 (20) | Jonny Bairstow 108*, Phil Salt 75 |
| 8 May 2023 | 53 | Eden Gardens, Kolkata | KKR won by 5 wickets | KKR 182/5 (20) vs PBKS 179/7 (20) | Andre Russell 3/26, Shikhar Dhawan 57 |
| 1 April 2023 | 2 | Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali | PBKS won by 7 runs | PBKS 191/5 (20) vs KKR 184/8 (20) | Shubman Gill 57, Kagiso Rabada 2/29 |
KKR vs PBKS
Just ten days ago, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had an opportunity to get back into their IPL season on track. Chasing an easy 112 target against Punjab Kings (PBKS), two points and an increase in net run rate were within their grasp – only for an unexpected collapse to limit them to just 95 runs as they suffered their second defeat of the tournament and head into relegation battle with five wins out of six matches being necessary to guarantee top four status.
KKR’s top order has struggled this season and losing Andre Russell to a hamstring injury has only compounded their difficulties. Venkatesh Iyer has been particularly disappointing; after being kept ahead of Shubman Gill during auction season and spending heavily to retain him ahead of Shubman Gill. Averaging less than 12 runs an innings against Gujarat Titans (GT), including an awful 14 off 19 performance against them on Monday has demonstrated the urgent need for improvement.
Both teams must win this match to secure their position in the playoffs. Both are currently tied in sixth position with one point each; victory for either will increase their odds of qualifying for the knockout stage.
Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have been in strong form for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), yet their opening stand has faltered recently. Both players have struggled for runs; Arya has scored only 27 runs over his past four innings while Prabhsimran has managed 23. Glenn Maxwell or Marcus Stoinis haven’t provided an impressive showing at PBKS, with neither being able to capitalize on promising starts after good starts are created.
Angkrish Raghuvanshi attempts a big shot off Yuzvendra Chahal and is bowled for 37 off 28 balls – it was an extremely disappointing display from someone whom KKR had heavily invested in since his breakout season, especially considering their run of three consecutive single-digit scores has been extremely disappointing.
Timeline
KKR have found success difficult in the league stage and need a victory against Punjab Kings to regain some form. On the other hand, Punjab Kings have been playing well lately and will hope to add one more win to their record in this clash between two teams which should also provide them an opportunity to climb up the table and secure one of four top four positions in their respective tables.
Kolkata Knight Riders will look to get their IPL campaign back on track when they take on Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in their next matchup. Their batting unit has looked lethargically in their last two matches; therefore captain Ajinkya Rahane and youngster Angkrish Raghuvanshi must come through with impressive performances to lead them back from their slow start.
Punjab Kings have made an impressive statement in this year’s IPL by defeating Delhi Daredevils, Mumbai Indians and Rajasthan Royals to establish themselves. Unfortunately they suffered their first loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad last match and need a win against Kolkata Knight Riders to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
These two sides have met 33 times in IPL play, with KKR leading PBKS by 21 wins compared to 12. This fierce rivalry will surely produce some intense matches with players unleashing all their passion to compete on a daily basis.
KKR have no injuries to worry about and should field the same starting XI that started against Sunrisers Hyderabad. Rahmanullah Gurbaz will continue as opener while Sunil Narine may move up into Sunil Narine’s slot at number three. Their only uncertainty will come in selecting Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson or Anrich Nortje as their fourth overseas player.
Match Schedule
On April 26th 2025 at Eden Gardens will take place the 44th match of IPL 2025 between KKR and PBKS. Both teams are competing for one of four playoff spots; currently PBKS stand in fifth while KKR occupies sixth. KKR must win this match to increase its chances of making the top four teams.
Eden Gardens can be expected to offer batters an easier path towards scoring big runs, while square and straight boundaries should present bowlers with challenges. Furthermore, weather forecasters predict clear skies with no rain. Temperature is anticipated at 34degC while humidity should range between 20%-35%.
PBKS’ performance in this season’s IPL has been quite inconsistent. After an impressive opening game, their form has steadily declined since. Still, they could make the playoffs by performing strongly in their remaining matches.
Shreyas Iyer’s side are currently struggling with three wins and five defeats in eight matches, losing to Gujarat Titans by an unprecedented 39 run margin in their most recent outing. Their recent slump has severely diminished KKR’s chances of qualifying for playoffs; particularly as Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh struggle for form.
After their impressive win against Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday, PBKS have an opportunity to get back on track when they host Kolkata Knight Riders at home on Friday. Expect another high-octane match as both teams seek playoff berths; be sure to tune in for action starting at 7:30 PM IST! If you can’t attend live, Sofascore provides all the latest IPL news and updates along with betting odds for each match and live streams to let anyone watch from any location around the globe – with an user-friendly interface making finding exactly what information is needed easy!
Match Prediction
Ajinkya Rahane will look to revive Kolkata Knight Riders’s IPL campaign with a win against Shreyas Iyer-led Punjab Kings. When these two sides last met at Eden Gardens, KKR managed to score 262 runs against them to claim victory – the highest total ever scored in an IPL match!
KKR are currently seventh in the table and must win five of their remaining six matches to stay competitive for a playoff berth. Unfortunately, against Gujarat Titans earlier this week they struggled at home, with Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, and Ramandeep Singh failing to perform at their best.
Rahane was unfortunate in that game when they lost him through an unusual way. While trying to hit Glenn Maxwell’s delivery with a slog sweep shot and missing it completely. The umpire gave Rahane out for leg before wicket after raising their finger for an LBW decision, and instead chose not to review this decision himself which proved disastrously so for KKR’s cause.
KKR’s batting unit has struggled this season to post big totals, managing only to score over 200 in three of eight matches and therefore needs to improve to remain competitive. They do possess enough firepower, however, to post a respectable total against PBKS in this clash.
PBKS, on the other hand, are in much better shape than KKR. Sitting fifth in the table with five wins and three losses so far, they have an excellent chance at qualifying for playoffs and they showed this with their previous game against Sunrisers Hyderabad where they successfully defended an easy total of 112 to win that contest.
Lockie Ferguson will be unavailable due to injury and his absence will wreak havoc with their attack, so they will rely on bowlers Yuzvendra Chahal and Harshit Rana to pick up key wickets and restrict KKR batters’ scoring power.
As such, this match promises to be high-scoring affair where both teams strive for victory; Ajinkya Rahane must perform at his peak in order to lead them toward triumph.